River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-09-01

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The nearest village was about quar-
ter of an hours walk from where the
were. Peter went over this long dis
lance without resting, goingalong slow
", now and then stopping when thu
plants of the wounded man became to,
painful. The rain had ceased, but In,
brow of the striker was beaded will
perspiration, and each time he stopped
the cold winter wind would cause hi
wet clothes TO stick to his body.
In the distance the glassworks still
burned, sending up great tongues o
fire sky, across which great spires o
smoke coursed along with the clouds.
Peter stopped at the first house o
the village, and kicking at the doors
called for assistance.
The streets were deserted; many per
sons had fled that morning after fray
in which many had been either killed
or wounded. Those who remained had
harricaded their doors and pretended not
to hear.
The miserable man was bitterly weep
| ing; he seemed to hear the death-rattlC
in the throat of his brother. who was
still losing great deal of blood Just
as Peter felt his strength giving way.
on turning a corner. he saw a good
sized building. through the half-opened
door of which dim light was stream
ing. He entered it.
Ii was large unfinished and unfur-
nished school-room. with whitewashed
| walls reeking with dampness. All the
killed and wounded in the morning
fray had been taken there pell neil.
About twenty human bodies were
stretched out on pallet of straw. All
the faces seemed SO CHASTITY under the
dim light of the two coal-oil lamps that
it was hard To distinguish the dead
from the dying.
A physician and two Sisters of Charity
we're going and. coming, dressing the
wounds and reviving the spirits of the
wounded with words of comfort They
hurried to tie wounded man brought in
by Peter, fixing a place for him on the
straw. As one of the sisters had brought
a lamp. the childish face of poor John
seemed livid. His duh ewes were half
closed, and his lips We're covered with
blood-flecked foam.
The doctor ripped his coat and shirt.
exposing his fair white skin to view.
The shape of his body seemed so
youthful. so delicate. that it was pain
full to see him thus uncovered. a gaping
wound ut his side
At first Peter had drawn near. hold
ing his breath. his ewes wandering from
the wounded man To the doctor. scanning
the later's face a if he wished to read
there. in advance. the decision about to
be pronounced. BIT when, by means
of the dim lamplight. the miserable man
perceived the bruised flesh of his broth
er, he gave moaning cry and dropped
to the floor, sobbing in the most heart
rending manner. A word from the
doctor nearly crazed him:
The wound in leg is nothing" said
he; = tbs simply a fracture; but the
wound in the side is very dangerous. :"
So. perhaps, his brother was going to
die. and il would be he that had killed
him.
He sprang to his feet. exclaining;
= lis not true. is it? Ii i not possible
that -
He stopped short. terrified. Not
that he feared being arrested if he be-
trayed himself. God knows he cared
but little for that! What he objected
to was to be taken away, to be separated
from his brother and that others should
be at his side while he would be far.
far away. He smOthered the avowal
that scorched his very lips, so deep
seated was the horror with which he
looked upon himself, and when they
questioned him he found courage
enough TO lie.
He said he had found his brother
living wounded by the roadside and had
carried him there, that was really all
knew he about ii. And as the doctor
looked at him hid his face in his hands.
fearing his crime would be discovered
in his eyes.
John became more quiet. He had
not recovered consciousness. but, as he
no longer moaned, the dressing of his
wound had doubtless afforded him re-
lief
The physician and the sisters with
drew, going to other sufferers, leaving
John alone at the side of his brother.
He had seated himself on the straw.
watching the least movement. catching
the feeblest sigh, awaiting with untold
agony the first symptoms Of returning
life
From time to time he would lean
over. clasping his rough hands together
as he had not done for many a day,
muttering fragments of prayer that
he had long thought forgotten, and
when words failed him, when he no
longer kenew what to say. he would
eXclaim: 30. brother, brother, say that
you forgive me.''
Since little while John has been
getting restless. He seemed to be try
ing to get up. His features became
contracted, as if he were making siren
uOus efforts, and he murmured words
his brother vainly Jried to understand.
The frightened workman called the
doctor. who knit his brows as he passed
his arms around the wounded man and
gently raised him up. This afforded a
slight relief, but soon the choking re-
turned.
The physician shrue red his shoulders
in way that plainly intimated that
there was no more hope. One of the
sisters knelt down and prayed in low
tone.
All at once the poor soldier. uttering
a hoarse cry. shuddered convulsively.
His eyes became glazed. He was dead.
Peter felt that he was losing his
senses. He could not believe that all
was over. He lay down at his brothers
side, drawing nearer and nearer. and
with fixed look and trembling lips he
still murmured mechanically:
John. say that YOU forgive ma,''
Then. as the doctor attempted to
spread blanket over the body, the
workman stopped him, and. raising his
head. he said, in a voice that had moth
ing human i'm il. LET him be. :,
He is my brother, you know, and twas
| who killed him. :
He is delirious," murmured the
sister.
Peter added softly:
Yes, twas |. You may believe me.
and send for the gendarmes. Now that